by Gregg A. Masters, MPH The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation has announced the results of its ‘continuous learning‘ commitment model wherein ‘field reports‘ including provider comments and open door inputs are materially incorporated into tweaks of the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) as risk is progressively adopted by participating ACOs. This ‘new round’ iteration …
Tag Archives: health reform
TrumpCare: As the Puzzle Emerges…
by Gregg A. Masters, MPH As the Trump administration takes form via the nomination of Rep. Tom Price to ‘steward’ (or decimate) the massive bureaucracy of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) with Seema Verma nominated as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Administration (CMS) the structural touch-points to manifest the ‘repeal and replace‘ agenda …
FLAACOs 3rd Annual Fall Conference: A Retrospective
by Gregg A. Masters, MPH This is the second year I’ve ventured to Orlando to cover the Florida Associations of ACOs (@FLAACOs) Annual gathering. According to the website, the FLAACOs mission is: …to provide members a vehicle to collaborate, ensuring that each healthcare organization grows and thrives. The Florida-based association aligns goals to shift physician incentives …
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TrumpCare: What We ‘Know’?
by Gregg A. Masters, MPH You’ve no doubt heard the expression: ‘a picture is worth a thousand words‘. Well courtesy of Oliver Wyman Health we have an infographic that segments key provisions of ‘TrumpCare’s‘ impact on providers. For original graphic, click here, and timely commentary, see: ‘Special Election Coverage: What Now? The Impact of a …
As the TrumpCare Pivots Begins
by Gregg A. Masters, MPH Just when we thought it was safe to get back in the ‘white water of health reform‘ with needed fixes to this arguably complex and ambitious Act, surprise! Against all odds and the best and brightest minds in the polling community welcome President-Elect Donald Trump and his litany of public …
ACO Winners and Losers: A Quick Take
by Ashish K. Jha Last week, CMS sent out press releases touting over $1 billion in savings from Accountable Care Organizations. Here’s the tweet from Andy Slavitt, the acting Administrator of CMS: Andy Slavitt ✔@ASlavitt NEW ACO RESULTS: physicians are changing care, w better results for patients & are saving money. Over $1B. https://www.cms.gov/Newsroom/MediaReleaseDatabase/Press-releases/2016-Press-releases-items/2016-08-25.html … 1:32 PM – …
The Long and Winding Road to Healthcare Price Transparency
by Gregg A. Masters, MPH When Steven Brill published ‘Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us‘ in 2013 he brought national attention via a series of personal stories that served to reveal the complex dysfunction inherent in our healthcare delivery and financing system. A veritable ‘conundrum‘ created over the decades of layering managed care …
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Day One: You’re Covered!
by Gregg A. Masters, MPH August 1st, 2016 marked the first day that I’ve been covered by health insurance since leaving the W2 workforce in 2000 as Vice President of Payor and Provider Contracting at Wellspan Health Network a ‘Super PHO’ launched by Texas Health Resources, post combination of Presbyterian Healthcare System, Harris Methodist Health Services …
The 2016 Medicare Trustees Report: One year closer to IPAB cuts?
by Gregg A. Masters, MPH From the relentless drone of ‘where are the jobs, Mr. President?’ to the misguided fear mongering of ‘death panels for Grandma’ administered by un-elected, faceless bureaucrats to the de facto death of American Democracy itself the attacks on the Affordable Care Act (ACA), flawed indeed as it is, is starting to log results, some …
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Hey, Remember IPAs, PPOs and TPAs?
by Gregg A. Masters, MPH In a last man standing of sorts in what some may call the legacy and aging infrastructure of the ‘vote with your feet‘ PPO industry including it’s allies in the TPA (Third Party Administrator) space, the American Association of Payors, Administrators and Networks (AAPAN) is holding its 2016 Annual Forum …